Fluid feeding and conducting means



r-:., o. ECKLAND E AL FLUID FEEDING AND CONDUCTING MEANS Filed Oct. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jul 12, 1927.7 I

im; azczzmd E. O. ECKLAND ET AL July 12, 1927. 5,663

FLUID FEEDING AND CONDUCTING MEANS Filed Oct. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet a A L\\\\\\\\\ a annnlmnm Z 5 1 1illllllllllllllllllllllll-llllllfi II/l// N Fmz Z- all/yam Z1621? 120 5529 -Tdqrs I Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

: EMIL 0. ECKLANID, OF MFNOMINEE FALLS, WISCONSIN, AND WALTER H. YOUNG, OF

. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLUID FEEDING AND CONDUCTING MEANS.

This invention relates broadly to fluid feeding and conducting means, and more particularly to an improved method of and apparatus for conducting fluid to and for r, applying and distributing such fluid upon various materials, more especially to the provision of such apparatus for replenishing the inking tape of a typewriting or calculating machine, and for other similar pur- H) poses.

lVhile this invention is illustrated, for the sake of convenience, as embodied in apparatus for supplying and applying ink to the inking tape of typewriting and calculating r machines, it will be understood that it is not limited to such an adaptation, but finds a wide field of utility for other purposes.

It is well known that for furnishing ink for the type in a typewriting or adding ma- 2" chine the general practice has been to provide a continuously moved ribbon or tape which has been previously saturated with an inking fluid, which latter is pressed from the tape onto the paper when struck by the 2 type. While the ribbon or tape eventually becomes worn and must be replaced, it will often dry out before its fabric has lost its usefulness, and result in the work done by the machine-becoming faded in appearance due to loss of ink. It is one of the primary objects of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive attachment which may be readily ap-* plied to standard typewriting or adding machines for maintaining the inking ribbon or other base always saturated until such ribbon or base has become worn beyond usefulness, and to this end the invention is characterized by the further objects and advantages which reside in the provision of improved means for supplying and appl ing a fluid to a base for purposes such as t at referred to; the

provision of an improved method of and means for maintaining the degree of saturation of a type writing machine inking tape or the like constant; the provision of improved means for maintaining a fixed de-' gree of impregnation of a fluid impregnated body; the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for impregnating a body of material with fluid; the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for impregnating or saturatinga body with fluid by'capillary action; the provision of an improved method of and apparatus for supplying and applying to a moving body a fluid by capillary action; the employment of capillary action to the attainment of new method of feeding fluid; the provision of aniimproved method of and ap aratus for carrying out such method where y to maintin an impregnated or saturated body against drying; and the introduction of the foregoing features and advantages into an improved structural embodiment capable of installation on various machines, such as either typewriting or calculating machines, for the purpose of maintaining the inking ribbon or tape impregnated to a fixed d'egree.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an inking device possessing the foregoing characteristics whereby a continuous inking ribbon or tape may be employed on a typewriting or calculating machine, and in like apparatus, thereby eliminating the reversing mechanism which is usually employed for winding the tape first on one and then on the other of the reels provided for this purpose. 7

The foregoing and such other objects and advantages as may appear or be pointed out hereinafter are attained in one, structural embodiment illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device 35 of this invention constructed for use in application to a typewriting machine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 'is a perspective view ofa detail part;

Figure 5 is an elevational View of an alternate form of this device;

Figures 6 and. 7 are. views of modified forms of this invention;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a modified form of this invention especially adapted for installation on a calculating'machine;

Figures 9 and 10 are end elevational and 106 top plan views, respectively, of the device of Figure 8;

Figures 11 and 12, are longitudinal and transverse vertical sectional views, respectively, taken on the lines 1111 and 12 12 110 ill of Figures 9 and 8, respectively, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The improved method or process which is carried out in this invention includes the step of conveying and introducing fluid in (where used for the inking tape of a tpycwriting or similar machine) by a capillary, such as a wick, to a second capillary, wh ch latter is presented to and in contact with a distributing element for applying the ink to the inking tape or other ink carrying base, such base being formed usually of absorbent material, the fluid ink thereby becoming distributed throughout the inking tape and maintaining such tape substantially at the saturation point at all times. The method thus employed requires no regulation, because the law relating to capillary action governs and as long as the source of supply is maintained the capillaries and the tape will be always impregnated to a fixed degree, and thus the inking tape cannot contain too much or too little ink. in other words, saturation will result from capillary action, and no more fluid can rise in the capillary than that sufficient to maintain saturation. The advantages of such a method over a forced or gravity feed, regardless of control of the latter, can be readily appreciated,

its a means for carrying out the method referred to we have provided several structu'al embodiments, as shown, reference, in detail, being first had to Figures 1 and l, inclusive.

in Figure 'l the device is illustrated as in stalled upon a conventional well-known make of typewriting machine, the frame 5 of such machine being fragmcntarily shown, from which the bracket ('5 extends for supporting one of the inking tape reels '1', upon which is wound the inking tape or ribbon 8. The tape 8 is trained over an idler roller till 9, thence through the inking device A of this invention, and vertically displaceabie guide 10, in front of the paper roll 11, thence to the other reel, not shown.

The inking device of this invention may be formed as a. part of the typewriting machine, but we have here shown it as a unit attachment for the machine, and therefore the article itself preferably comprises a divided clamp 12, provided with a bifurcated portion 13 for engagement with a bolt or screw i l on the frame 5, said clamp having screws lti-l5 for frictionally adj ustably engaging a tube 16, which tube is connected at 17 with a container 18 for fluid ink, and at 19 with the inking device A. The tube 16 serves for supporting the container and inking device as a unit, and also as a conduit for a capillary, such as a wick 20, which has one end lying in the container 18, the outer portion of said wick being wound about the outside of an upstanding extension 21 of the nuances tube 16, as best seen at 22 in Figure 3. The container 18 has a removable cap 23 by which the contents of the container may be replenished, it being observed as important that the container 18 is located below the plane of the inking device A, so that fluid will issue from the container only by capillary action, with the wick portion 22 as a point or station of supply.

The inking device includes the base A, affixed, as explained, to the tube 16, said base having a stud bolt 2st engaged there with and secured by a nut 25, and on said bolt is mounted a rcvoluble roller 26 preferably of wood or a similar material. 011 each side of the roller there is provided one each of the vertical lingers 27 and 28, and the tape 8 is trained alternately over said roller and under or back of said fingers as shown in Figure l.

ink or similar fluid is conveyed by the wick 20, and saturates the portion 22, whence such ink is conveyed. to the tape 8, via the roller 26, by the provision of a continuous distributing wick 29. The wick 29, which is nothing more than a line thread, is carried on a plate 80, which latter is detachably and by its own weight and friction, held on the pins 31 and 32 upstanding from the base it. The plate has a plurality of eyes 33 through which the thread or wick 29 is trained, said wick having a slack por tion lying in direct contact with the wooden roller 26 and another slack portion 35 in contact with the portion 22 of the wick 20. it, helical spring 36 surrounds the wick 29, said spring being attached at 36 to the plate 510, and this maintains the wick 29 under tension in contact with the wick portion .22, and roller 26, as well as cooperating with the weight of plate 30 to prevent displacement of the latter.

it will be observed that as the tape 8, in the course of operation of the typewriting machine, is drawn stop by step past and over the roller 26 in surface contact there with, the distributing roller 29 contacting with wick 29, and thereby will collect ink from the wick 29. The ink thus collected is distributed upon the tape it, so that it is constantly maintained at the saturation point.

Ti e have found in actual tests that for ordinary operation a single thread or wick,

such as 20, will suflice, but where desired,

two or more of such wicks may be grouped as indicated at 30 and Figure 5. In some instances, where the step is desired, the single wicl' 29 may be canted, as indicated in Figure 7, so that the wick will lie diagonally across the face of the distributing roller 26. This is, however, not essential to the efficient operation of the device and may be accomplished in one of at least two ways, namely, by boring the holes 37 in the plate tion shown in F igures .8 to 12, inclusive,

this structureis designed particularly as a unit attachment for application to a standard type of calculating machine. A frame F is provided, comprising end standards 3939 in spaced relation, a base plate 40 supported thereby, and end bearing lugs 4141, all formed preferably of and struck from a single piece of heavy sheet metal.

Supporting brackets 42 and 43 are also formed integrally with the base 40. i

A container 44 for fluid ink is. carried by the frame F on one of the end bearings 41, and a conduit 45 containing a capillary, such as the wick 46, extends from said container up along the inside of the adjacent bearing lug. A wooden roller 47 is revolubly mounted between the lugs 41, on a shaft 48 carried by said "lugs, and the inking tape 49 is trained over and above said roller, as seen in Figure 8. The shaft 48 is held against dis lacement by the nuts 50.

The capi lary orwick 46 is wound about the upper transverse rod 51, as indicated at 52, which rod is fixedly mounted in the. brackets 42. Similarly, a transverse lowerrod 53 is fixedly mounted in brackets 43, and may be provided with an absorbent covering 54.

Ink is conveyed from the wick portion 52 to the distributing roller 47 by the provision of a distributing capillary such as the absorbent thread or wick 55-, which thread or wick has a slack portion' 56 in continuous contact with the roller 47, said wick 55 being trained through one or two of the convolutions of two helical springs 57 and 58,

secured to the standards 39, thence said wick passes over the wick portions 52' and 54.

i The bottom portion of the wick 55 lies below the base plate-40 and passes through a helical spring 59 secured at 60 to the underside of said base. If desired, the wick 55 may be divided, and one of each of the ends thereof secured to the ends of said spring 59. In any event the wick 55 is maintained under tension. The fluid ink is taken up by the wick 46 and saturates the portion 52 whence it flows by capillary action to the distributing capillary 55. which latter has two of its portions 56 in direct contact with the roller 47. It will be obvious that the operation of this device is substantially identical with that shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, with principal exceptiont-hat a reater area of contact is required for the arger tape usually used in calculating machines. The absorbent covering- 54 takes up ink and prevents such fiuid from passing into the portion of the wick 55 below the rod, which would otherwise be deposited on the device or some part of the machine.

In both of the forms of the invention as shown the distributing capillary may move, if desired, but such movement is not essential to the successful eflicient operation of this invention. It is, however, an essential feature of this invention that the wick portions 22 and 52 form, in effect, ink feeding stations from which the fluid ink is taken in a sense automatically. The wooden roller, as shown, being but slightly absorbent will not take up too much ink, and when the machine is not in use the roller prevents the accumulation of any great quantity of ink, which would drop into the mechanism ofthe machine. This, furthermore, lends to the cleanliness of the device.

While certain specified structural features have been set forth, it will of course, be understood that minor alterations to suitvarious installations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. The combination with a typewritingmachine, having an inking tape, of a reservoir containing ink, a distributing member in contact with said tape, a 'supply capillary conductor extending into said reservoir, and a distributing capillary conductor in contact with said supply capillary andwith said distributing member at a plurality of points. 2. The combination with a typewriting machine having an inking tape, of a reservoir containing ink, a distributing member in contact with said tape, a supply capillary conductor, extending into said reservoir,and a distributing capillary conductor of relatively limited area, in contact with said supply capillary and with said distributing member at a plurality of points.

v3.'The combination with a printingmachine having an inking tape, a container, a capillary member for drawing fluid .ink from an endless auxiliary capillary member in contact with said first mentioned capillary member and said distributing member.

4.The combination with a printing machine having an inking tape, a container, a-

capillary member for drawing fluid ink from said container, a distributing member, and an endless auxiliary capillary member in contact with said distributing member at a plurality of places and in contact with said first mentioned capillary member.

5. The combination with a printing machine having an inking tape, a container, a capillary member for drawing fluid ink from said container, a distributing member,

and an endless auxiliary capillary member in contact with said iirst mentioned capillary member and said distributing member and means for placing said auxiliary capillary member under constant tension.

(3. The combination with a printing machine having an inking tape, a container, a capillary member for drawing fluid ink from said container, a distributing member, and an endless auxiliary capillary member in contact with said first mentioned capillary member and said distributing member and yicldingly resistant means for placing said auxiliary capillary member under constant tension.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, an absorbent fluid carrying element, a source of fluid, capillary means in communication with said source, an auxiliary capillary means for distributing such fluid, means for placing said auxiliary capillary means under tension, and means receiving such distributed fluid for applying the fluid to said absorbent element.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a movable absorbent fluid carrying element, a source of fluid, capillary means in communication with said source, an auxiliary capillary means for distributing such fluid. at a plurality of separated points, and means receiving such distributed fluid for applying the fluid to said absorbent element at a plurality of points.

9., In a device at the character described, in combination, a movable absorbent fluid carrying element, a source of fluid, capillary means in connnnnication with said source, an auxiliary capillary means for distributing said fluid, at a plurality of separated points,

and revoluble means receiving such distribut ed fluid for applying the fluid to Said absorbent element at a plurality of points.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, an endless absorbent fluid :arrying element, a source of fluid, capillary means in communication with said source, a second capillary means for distributing such fluid, and means receiving such distributed fluid for applying the fluid to said absorbent element.

11. In combination with a typewriting eaaaea machine having a movable absorbent fluid carrying element, of a roller in contact with said element, a source of fluid supply and a pair of wicks, one 01" said wicks leading to said source of supply and points of delivery being within the area delined by the width of said ribbon absorbent element.

13. In a device of the character described, in combination with a movable absorbent fluid carrying element, of a roller in contact with said element, a source of fluid supply, and a pair of wicks, one of said wicks leading to the source of supply and the other of said wicks being in contact with said roller for distributing fluid thereon, and means for maintaining one of said wicks under tension.

14. In a device of the character described, in combination with a movable absorbent fluid carrying element, of a roller in contact with said element, a source of fluid supply, and a pair of wicks, one of which wicks is in contact with said roller for distributing fluid thereon, and the other of said wicks associated with said fluid supply, and means for maintaining said distributing wick under tension against said roller.

15. The combination with a movable absorbent element, of a reservoir for fluid, a roller and an endless fluid conductor re ceiving fluid from said reservoir and for delivering such fluid on said roller for application to said absorbent element.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatnres at 36 IV. Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois.

EMIL o, ECKLAND. WALTER YOUNG.

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